"It was the most sickening feeling I have ever had...

-Maj. Rick Sorenson of the Iowa Air National Guard, who watched a United Airlines DC-10 crash in Sioux City, Ia., on Wednesday.

``We are still researching the law to see if a statute was violated, but passing out blank checks in the chamber of the Texas Senate is outrageous conduct and ought to be against the law.``

-Travis County District Atty. Ronnie Earle, after an East Texas millionaire passed out blank $10,000 checks to several senators before a crucial vote on worker compensation legislation.

``I`d like to see people, instead of spending so much time on ethical problems, get at the problems that really affect the people of this country.`` -Former President Richard Nixon, on the stalemate in Congress over ethics in the House and at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

``All the people I have in my office, they can`t speak English properly, they can`t write English properly. All the letters sent from my office I have to correct myself, and that is because English is taught so bloody badly.``

-Britain`s Prince Charles, on an academic report urging teachers to show tolerance for students using nonstandard expressions.